


this is where you leave me

by selenedaydreams



Category: Fantastic Four (2015)
Genre: Getting Together, M/M, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-05
Updated: 2016-02-05
Packaged: 2018-05-18 10:13:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5924584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/selenedaydreams/pseuds/selenedaydreams
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ben gets his first girlfriend when he’s 16 years old and it makes Reed reevaluate his entire life (and take action).</p>
            </blockquote>





	this is where you leave me

**Author's Note:**

> A birthday present for my lovely friend Vivian because I know she adores these two dorks in love.

Ben gets his first girlfriend when he’s 16 years old.

Her name is Vanessa and Reed distinctly remembers sitting in the Grimm’s kitchen and hearing Ben’s mother say that with a name like that she _has_ to be pretty. And she is. As much as Reed would like to deny it, she’s absolutely gorgeous and when she smiles it lights up Ben’s whole world.

That’s not the worst part though. The worst part is that she’s smart too, smart enough that at one point she almost had a higher grade in AP Chemistry than him (that is until Reed scored higher than her on the final, of course). Everything about her seemed perfect and it makes Reed feel just a little bit like an asshole for not liking her.

It’s a mix of petty jealousy and regret even though Reed knows that this is his own fault for standing. He can’t really fault her for seizing an opportunity he was too scared to grab for himself.

They spend more time with each other, eating lunch together and making Reed feel like a third wheel even though they insist that he isn’t bothering them and make sure to include him in the conversation.

The first time they kiss in front of him, Reed digs his nails into the palm of his hand and tries his hardest to think of something else but the only thing that comes to mind is that time in fifth grade that Ben kissed him on the cheek for the first and it really only made the situation worse.

Reed tries to just get over it because that’s what the internet tells him. Move on, it says.

Move on, as if it’s that simple, as if Reed doesn’t spent his days telling himself he’s over Ben only to have night come and rob him of any semblance of peace.

If he’s more distant, he doesn’t notice it, but unfortunately, Ben does.

They’re in Reed’s bedroom studying for an upcoming biology test, both sprawled out on the floor with their books, when Ben finally brings it up.

“You don’t like Vanessa.” It’s not a question.

Reed doesn’t look up from his book when he answers. “I never said that.”

“You didn’t have to.”

That’s something Reed can’t actually argue against because it’s true, even he knows that he hasn’t exactly been subtle about things and the fact that he had refused to be Vanessa’s lab partner in AP Physics certainly didn’t help matters either.

“Why does it matter if I like her?” Reed’s fingers fidget absentmindedly with the pen in his hand. “She’s not _my_ girlfriend.”

“No, but you’re  _my_ best friend.”

Reed’s certain that those are supposed to be words of reassurance but all they do is twist the knife inside his heart harder.

“All I care about is if she makes you happy.” Reed says and at least that much is true. It’s also probably why it hurts so much to see them together despite knowing how selfish that sounded.

“She does.” There’s a smile on Ben’s lips as he talks. “But I don’t want to lose my best friend over a girl.”

Reed rolls his eyes because if anyone should be dramatic right now it’s him, not Ben. “You’re being ridiculous.”

He stands up then, needing to put some distance between them even though it’s virtually impossible in his shoe box sized bedroom. Maybe they should have stayed downstairs in the living room where things wouldn’t feel so suffocating, or so he wants to believe. He can feel Ben’s eyes watching him as he looks out the window but he can’t bring himself to turn around.

“Am I?”

There’s a pause and that’s an answer in and of itself. “No.”

“Look, if you want me to break up with her, just tell me.”

When Reed finally turns around, he finds Ben on his feet and standing far too close for comfort. “I can’t ask you to break up with your girlfriend just because I’m an idiot.”

Ben frowns and Reed thinks that maybe he’s said a little too much. “What are you talking about?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

He tries pushing past Ben only to collide with him as Ben quickly steps to the side, blocking him from trying to leave (to escape). It’s ironic, really, especially since Ben is a good couple of inches shorter than him and yet he still has the upper hand. But then again, he’s always had it.

“It does matter.”

There are two opinions here: shove Ben away and book a plane ticket to Ecuador, never to return home again or admit the truth and have to deal with the embarrassing consequences for the rest of his life. Both are equally unappealing with a bonus third of the sun suddenly extinguishing and putting him peacefully out of his misery.

His voice is quiet when he speaks. “You mean you haven’t already figured it out?”

“I want to hear you say it.”

“Why?”

Reed never thought Ben would ever be capable of such cruelty but there’s something hopefully about the way he’s looking up at him right now and Reed tries to tell himself that he’s definitely not staring at his lips.

“Just say it.” Ben’s hand reaches out for his and it suddenly dawns on his how wrong this is could be and how wrong it already is. “Please.”

“We can’t do this.”

“Yeah, we can.” Ben’s smirking at him then and it’s completely out of left field. “Because Vanessa isn’t actually my girlfriend. She’s only pretending to be so I could test out my theory.”

To say that Reed is speechless seems like an understatement because he quite honestly feels like his brain has stopped functioning while Ben continues staring up at him, still smirking.

“You what?”

“I asked her to pretend to be my girlfriend to see if it would make you jealous enough to profess your undying love for me.”

Reed wants to kiss him and punch him all at the same time so he settles for a mix of both, fisting his hand into the front of Ben’s shirt and dragging him into a hungry kiss that’s just on the side of angry but it’s easy enough to forget about Ben’s terrible experiment when their lips are pressed together.

“I wish you could’ve seen your face, Richards.” Ben laughs once they break apart. “They should put your picture in the dictionary next to the definition of ‘pining’.”

“Yeah, well, they should put your picture next to the definition of ‘wrecked’ because that’s what I’m going to do to you.” Reed is already kissing him again before he can respond but Ben can’t really complain, especially not when Reed’s fingers tangle in his hair and tug him even closer.

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me @mallcolmducasse on tumblr.


End file.
